FRANKLIN SPRINGS, GA – The Emmanuel Baseball team hosted the University of Mount Olive this weekend in their first series of Conference play. The Trojans took game one of the series 14-11, out-dueled the Lions in a defensive battle in game two, 3-0, and had a strong outing in game three to take the finale 10-4 and earn the sweep over Emmanuel. With the losses, the Lions fall to 10-7 on the season.  
 
GAME ONE – 
 
The Trojans jumped out to an early lead, scoring 4 runs on 5 hits and an error in the first inning of play.  Mount Olive added on another run in the 2^nd on three hits, leaving two on base to take a 5-0 lead.
 
In the top of the third, the Trojans offense continued to make noise adding four runs to their lead on four hits, leaving one on base making the score 9-0 Trojans.
 
Emmanuel got on the board in the bottom of the 4^th. Brock Wollin started things off with a double to left field. Brady Campbell followed that up with a double to center to score Wollin and make it 9-1 Trojans. Campbell advanced to third on a ground out. Ryan Muniz and Dobbs Bowden were hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jesus Cruz. Cruz responded with a single to left field to score Campbell and Muniz, making the score 9-3. Baily Stroud kept the Lions momentum going with a single to left to score Bowden and make it 9-4 Trojans. 
 
Mount Olive answered in the top of the fifth with four runs on three hits, leaving two on base to take a 13-4 lead.
 
After a few scoreless innings, the Lions got back into the swing of things in the bottom of the 6^th inning. Muniz got on base with a walk, and Bowden was hit by a pitch. Cruz walked to load the bases for Stroud. Stroud reached on a fielder's choice, to score Muniz and make it 13-5. Thomas Collins got on base with a walk to advance Stroud to 2^nd and load the bases. Up next, Wollin delivered with a double to right field to score Stroud and Bowden, making it 13-7.  Campbell got on base with a walk to load the bases for Nick Dietsch, who singled to right field and scored Collins to make it 13-8.
 
In the bottom of the 7^th, the Lions tacked on three more runs. Bowden started things off with a double to right field. Cruz got on base with a walk, and the runners advanced on a ground-out. Collins brought both runners home with a double to left field to make it 13-10. Collins would advance to third on a wild pitch and score to cut Mount Oilve's lead to two, 13-11. 
 
In the top of the 8^th, the Trojans would add one run on one hit, leaving two on base to make it 14-11 which would be the final score.
 
At the plate, Jesus Cruz and Brock Wollin each went 2-3. 
 
On the mound, Ethan Pooler got the start, going 2.1 innings and giving up 7 runs on 10 hits, striking out two. Chase Lupton relieved him and faced five batters. He gave up two runs on two hits. Bubba Luke pitched an inning of work, giving up 2 runs on 1 hit and walking 2 batters. Noah Cantleberry was next on the mound, facing three batters and giving up 2 runs on 1 hit. Hunter Maddox pitched 1.2 innings and gave up 2 hits. Eli Roach relieved him and went one inning, striking out two batters. Dosie Drakeford pitched an inning and gave up one run on one hit, walking three and striking out one. Simon Boggie closed out the game for the Lions, pitching an inning and giving up one hit, striking out two batters.
 
With the loss,the Lions fall to 10-5 on the season, 0-1 in Conference Carolinas action. 
 
GAME TWO – 
 
Both teams were strong on the hill in game two of the series, but Mount Olive was just a bit stronger at the plate to earn a 3-0 victory. Hunter Parks started on the mound for Emmanuel and recorded 11 outs and 2 strikeouts.
 
Mount Olive got on the board in the third inning scoring two runs on a double to take a 2-0 lead.
 
In the 4^th, the Trojans tacked on a third run to take a 3-0 lead. 
 
Dobbs Bowden and Brock Wollin each collected a hit for the Lions, but the story-line was on the mound. 
 
Mount Olive starter, Erik Johnson went seven strong innings striking out nine and allowing two hits and no runs. 
 
On the mound for Emmanuel was Hunter Parks, who pitched three solid innings for the Lions. He went three and two thirds' innings and gave up three runs on six hits, striking out two. He was relieved by Barrett Barkley who pitched 3.1 innings. He gave up one hit and struck out seven batters. 
 
The two teams will meet for the finale at 4PM. 
 
GAME THREE –
 
Game three of the series was all offense. 
 
The Lions got on the board in the first inning on a single by Nick Dietsch, which scored a run to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. 
In the top of the third, the Trojans retook the lead on two hits and two walks to make it 4-1 Trojans. The Lions responded in the bottom half of the inning with a run of their own to make it 4-2. 
 
Mount Olive tacked a run onto their lead in the top of the 4^th and added four more in the 5^th to go ahead, 9-2. 
 
The Trojans scored their 10^th run in the top of the 6, but Emmanuel answered with a run of their own, to make it 10-3. 
 
The Lions added on another run in the bottom of the 7^th to make the final score 10-4. 
 
At the plate, Brock Wollin and Nick Dietsch recorded two hits for the Lions.
 
On the mound, Hunter Pirkle got the nod. He went 2.1 innings and gave up four runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out one. Chase Lupton came in next, pitching less than an inning and walking a batter. Noah Cantleberry pitched 1.2 innings and gave up three runs on two hits. He struck out one and walked two. Dosie Drakeford relieved him and pitched an inning. He gave up three runs on four hits, striking out two and walking one. Simon Boggie pitched a strong inning, striking out two and giving up just one hit. Clifford Brown closed out the game for the Lions, going two innings and striking out four batters, giving up two hits. 
 
Next up, the Lions will travel to Wilson, NC to face Barton College on Saturday, March 2^nd at 11AM.